Bandages
by Twisted Wonderland
Summary: Nights were always dangerous. Crane x OC!Alice.


**Disclaimer**: Jonathan Crane doesn't belong to me. Nor does anything else in the DC Universe. But DANG, wouldn't it be nice if it did?

-x-

She'd tried to wait. Honest, she did. So much that, when she finally dozed, she was curled in his favorite chair, just awaiting the click of the door. Alice missed that noise, but she couldn't have missed the crash that followed right after.

Instantly she was up (if a bit unsteady, sudden rushes made spots dance over her eyes) and peering apprehensively towards the front hall. Jonathan? Surely he wouldn't make so much noise? Someone else, then? The young woman nervously adjusted the false watch on her wrist, edging towards the opening – as soon as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she peered at the black shape with an extended arm. That was when she let out a little gasp of shock and abandoned any fear – because her Master of Fear was present now, and clearly wounded. He'd tripped over the hall table and was struggling to rise, arms giving a faint and weary shake from the effort. She quickly darted forwards, crouching at his side and extending an arm to help, only to be alarmed at his cringe away from her touch.

"Jon, it's Alice." She reasoned. Another attempt, and this time he raised his head to peer blearily at her – his glasses were missing. But recognition flooded that pale blue of his irises, and he accepted her help, using the small woman and the table to balance.

"Did…" The doctor gave an unsteady breath. "Did I wake you?"

Her chocolate eyes lifted to him distractedly. "What? Oh, no, of course not." The lie was immediate to reassure him. "Jon, what happened…?"

He gave a snort of disbelief, although it sounded so weary that it broke her heart. "Go back to sleep, Alice."

"No!" She presented him with her stubborn frown and fiery eyes. "Jonathan, _what happened_?"

The man shot her a frustrated glare (that was hardly intimidating in his state) and answered, "Batman, of course. He found the laboratory, or one of them." He gave a testing step and grimaced in pain. "Needless to say, he wasn't very happy. At least I got away."

Alice, still mildly shocked, continued to help him shuffle along. "But… how?"

"One of the test subjects distracted him. It was lucky." Even like this, he was grudging to admit near-defeat.

"No, I mean, how did he find you?"  
"Batman? He has his ways." His eyes glanced to hers quickly. "You really should sleep."

Again, she looked insulted, and merely guided him to his chair. "I'll get the bandages." She murmured, and scurried off.

When she returned, he'd managed to sit himself and had his head leaning back against the chair. The tightness of his expression told her that he was definitely in a lot of pain. The ebony-haired woman edged closer. "What hurts the worst, Jon?" He'd come home injured before, but never this badly.

His blue eyes scanned her face, and the hesitation and distrust that had always been so familiar to him swam to the surface. Alice was well-aware of his paranoia, and was patient. His eyes eventually cast elsewhere. "I may have cracked a rib."

Immediately she nodded and edged up, slowly pulling off the sleeves of his jacket as light as possible. He was passive, and assisted when he could. Soon their combined efforts had him stripped from the waist up. Alice extended a set of soft fingertips to brush his ribcage, and tried to not react when he instinctively flinched. He was much like a wild animal when wounded, and even she wasn't sure how he might react. "Sorry." A pause as she contemplated. "Oh, Jon, you need to be more careful… Lean up." He did as commanded, although very gradually, and looked to her face. "I can bandage it tight, but that's all." Her face showed her distress. "You'll have to be careful with it."

He merely nodded, and she went to work, letting out little apologies when her touch caused him to twitch. It took at least ten minutes, and Jonathan oozed gratefully back in the seat when she'd finished. Alice hurried away for a cold rag, and it was the chilly texture of it that stirred him awake a few moments later. It took another couple of seconds for the panicked look to leave his eyes, but the blue softened considerably upon recognizing her again. His own hand raised to still hers. "Alice?"

She gave him a noise that suggested attentiveness and spared a glance as she wiped off blood from his face.

A seconds pause, or two.

"Thank you."

She smiled at him in that sweet way she had and continued her care. "You're welcome, Jon."

-x-

**Author's Note**: Fail, but I wrote this at 1:30 AM, guys. Seriously. I laid down in the bed, started to sleep, when my muse suddenly stirred and prodded me. I blearily grabbed my notebook and a pen, turned on my lamp, and started writing. Any time I complained about how tired I was, she stabbed me with that sharp stick and threatened me with fear toxin. Lousy girl, usually I have to fight HER, trust her to harass me at midnight. I think she just felt pity on me because I haven't been able to roleplay.

Sorry if Alice is fail, Mary. I tried, I promise.


End file.
